Television

News, Articles, Videos and other content about Television

NBC Sports' broadcast of Smarty Jones' win in the 129th Preakness Stakes (gr. I) Saturday delivered a 6.1 national rating / 15 share for the full telecast, which is the best since 1990 and a 22% improvement over last year's 5.0/13, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 1990 Preakness, won by Summer Squall, generated a 7.2 rating/21 share.

NBC Sports' broadcast of Smarty Jones' win in the 130th Kentucky Derby was watched by 17 million -the second-biggest Derby audience since 1992 and an increase of 17% over last year's total audience of 14.5 million viewers, according to NBC Sports Research estimates.

River Downs, which has the longest continually sponsored stakes in the United States with the Miller Genuine Draft Cradle Stakes, has announced an extension of Pepsi Americas' sponsorship of the Pepsi Bassinet Stakes for another three years.

Attheraces, the racing channel in Great Britain that is scheduled to go off the air March 29, said it plans to continue broadcasting United States races in the evening and would continue to negotiate with British racecourses to carry their product.

A familiar television sports program dedicated to Thoroughbred and Harness Racing, is returning to the airwaves. Horsin' Around TV returns March 20. The half-hour program will air twice each Saturday on Fox Sports Net Chicago, at 5:30 a.m. and again at 11 a.m.

With major contracts for television, sponsorship, and membership up for renewal this year, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association believes 2004 is the year that could spark major growth in horse racing for the long term, commissioner Tim Smith said.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has approved a proposal for expanded television coverage and up to $2 million in purse enhancements in the Breeders' Cup Stakes Program as part of a new-look summer racing schedule.

When one thinks of horses and television it's natural to conger up yesteryear and Mr. Ed, but not this week on NBC. "Ed" the television show, will feature a trip to the races, a hypothetical racetrack, Jasper Park, actually filmed at Monmouth Park in August. The episode airs Wednesday night at 8 p.m.

NBC's telecast of the June 7 Belmont Stakes finished in the top five among the 122 primetime network programs for the week of June 2-8 and the race portion of the telecast rated as the No. 1 show on network television.

The 1 1/2-hour Belmont Stakes telecast on NBC produced an overnight rating of 10.4, the highest for any horse race since the 1990 Kentucky Derby and the highest for a Belmont since 1987, when ratings were introduced. The overnight rating for the race exceeded overnight ratings for other major sporting events over the weekend.

With the buzz growing ever louder over another potential Triple Crown winner, the racing industry is marshalling its marketing forces to make sure the public at large becomes aware of what's at stake at Belmont Park June 7.

Average household viewership of the lineup of Visa Triple Crown programming presented by the ESPN networks during the 2003 Kentucky Derby week rose sharply over the previous year's totals according to data supplied by Nielsen Media Research.

In a deal announced April 9, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., part owner of TV Games Network parent Gemstar-TV Guide, would acquire General Motors' stake in Hughes Electronics and another piece of Hughes from public shareholders.

HorseRacing TV has signed a multi-year agreement with Cox Communications that extends the network's viewership into Orange County, Calif., and expands its coverage in San Diego. In addition, HRTV, operated by Magna Entertainment, will add three markets in Pennsylvania.

By Ray Paulick -- While for some the trail to the Triple Crown begins the minute a healthy foal hits the ground, a more realistic starting point is when the first major prep races are shown on live television.

The wagering and broadcasting company attheraces has signed an agreement with United States-based The Racing Network international to work together to enhance the acquisition, development, and production of U.S. racing on the attheraces interactive digital television channel in the United Kingdom.

Magna Entertainment has officially launched HorseRacing TV, a 24-hour cable television network that provides Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse racing from racetracks in the United States and Canada.